AS Roma vs Lecce: Serie A Clash Preview
AS Roma head south to Salento on Sunday, carrying the weight and swagger of league leaders into their Serie A clash with Lecce at the Stadio Ettore Giardiniero.
Top of the table, six wins on the spin in the league, five clean sheets in that run, and fresh from a ruthless 4-0 dismantling of Fiorentina on Matchday 1 – Roma arrive in form that leaves little room for doubt. History backs them up as well: they’ve beaten Lecce in each of their last four meetings and walk into this fixture as firm favourites to stretch that sequence.
Yet this is not a side on cruise control. It’s a team in transition, being reshaped on the fly by Gian Piero Gasperini.
Gasperini’s balancing act
The Roma manager heads to Salento juggling new arrivals, absentees, and the demands of a squad that expects to compete on every front.
At the back, Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi has been named in the squad for the first time. All signs point to him making his starting debut, a significant call in a team that has built its recent surge on defensive solidity. Gasperini clearly trusts him enough to drop him straight into a winning side.
In midfield, Marten De Roon has wasted no time settling in after his surprise deadline-day switch from Atalanta. The Dutchman’s experience and bite give Roma another reliable option in the engine room, crucial with key figures missing.
Lorenzo Pellegrini and Devyne Rensch will not make the trip. Both are sidelined with thigh and flexor issues, with a return to full training pencilled in for next week. Their absence strips Roma of creativity and versatility, but it also opens the door for others to step into the spotlight.
On the flank, Nahuel Molina has shaken off a knock and is back fit. His return ramps up the competition for minutes and turns up the heat on young wing-back Emanuele Lulli, who now feels the pressure of a senior international breathing down his neck.
Roma’s depth has taken a hit in other areas. Robinho Vaz and Neil El Aynaoui have departed for Hull City and RB Leipzig respectively, trimming the options available to Gasperini as the season gathers pace.
Predicted Roma XI
Despite the changes, Roma are expected to line up with a familiar structure and a dangerous attacking edge.
Possible AS Roma starting XI: Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Lulli, Kone, Cristante, Wesley; Mora, Dybala; Malen.
It’s a side built to control the middle, stretch the pitch with its wing-backs, and let Paulo Dybala and Donyell Malen do damage between the lines and in behind.
Kick-off and how to watch
Lecce vs AS Roma kicks off at 5:30pm BST on Monday, 31st August.
In the UK, the match will be shown live on DAZN.
Roma arrive as favourites, in form and on a roll. The question now is simple: can anyone slow them down, or will Salento become the next stop on their early-season charge?
